Booth go 12 points clear

Booth doubled their lead over Jer Lane from six to 12 points in yesterday’s battle of the top two in the Spenser Wilson Halifax League.

Rob Laycock hit an unbeaten 104 as Booth overhauled their visitors’ 223 for eight, the number three hitting the third ball of the final over through the off side for four to clinch victory.

On a cold, damp day, the drainage work put in at Booth in recent years paid dividends as a full length contest took place between the league’s two dominant sides in recent years.

Booth had an early bonus when Raqeeb Younas was bowled off the fifth ball of the game by Nigel Horsfall, having been dropped at slip the delivery before.

Skipper Wayne Cotton (37), Johnny Lister (67) and Imran Mirza (50) led a recovery to 182 for four in the 38th over but Lane were kept in check with Horsfall (3-48) returning the best figures.

Booth were 11-2, 77-4 and 100-5 during their reply but Rob Laycock was still there and figured in key partnerships of 61 with Horsfall (27) and 46 with Patrick Thomas (26) as the target was chased down.

Booth are keen to match last year’s league and cup double and have already retained the Parish Cup. With games against Queensbury, Triangle, Sowerby SP and Northowram HT to come, few would bet against them achieving it.

Mytholmroyd kept their slim title hopes alive with a five wicket win in a 32 overs per side contest at Oxenhope.

The hosts made 187-5 with Josh Fleetwood and Joe Ousey racking up 141 runs between them.

Royd have plenty of quick scoring batsmen and they knocked off the runs in just 22 overs with Jack Earle making 49, taking his seasonal tally to 821, and Adie Gawthorpe smashing 60.

Queensbury’s descent into the middle section was all but confirmed with an eight-wicket defeat to Copley.

Queensbury were sent in on a green seamer and Copley were happy to rely on just two bowlers, Chris Dennison (2-45) and Oliver Thorpe (2-71) as Queensbury made pedestrian progress to 130-5 in 35 overs.

Mohammed Seraj’s patient 46 not out ensured victory with five overs to spare.

Triangle continued their march up the table with a 45 run win over strugglers Northowram Hedge Top.

They amassed 275-5 with Nathan Madden (46), Josh Graham (78) and Kurtis Whippey (67) taking advantage of the short boundaries.

Hedge Top made a spirited reply of 230, with Harry Talbot hitting a second consecutive 50. They gifted the visitors maximum points in bizarre fashion in the final over when their last man was stranded in mid-wicket attempting a third run.

Rob Keywood proved his fitness for today’s Crossley Shield final with a master class in how to use bowler friendly conditions at Sowerby St Peter’s.

The Warley veteran showed he had shaken off a recent injury with figures of 6-3-8-5 as Sowerby totalled 82, number nine batsman Lyndon Baxter (jnr) saving a little face for his side with 31 not out after they had been 26-7.

Warley were 55-6 before regular match winner Danny Syme popped up with 28 not out, Martin Schofield taking four wickets..

SBCI are in free fall and capitulated to 93 all out after being set 176 in a rain affected match at Thornton.